You built the website, now how do you get the leads to come?

You built the website, now how do you get the leads to come?

You've created and uploaded your website a week ago, but you still haven't gotten any leads from the site – what gives? The often-used "Field of Dreams" quote, "If you build it they will come" doesn't apply to the World Wide Web. Unlike the television and print advertising which may simply reinforce your message or your company's name, people who use Internet search engines know what they are looking for, but they don't necessarily know where or how to find it. You need to tell them.

A nationwide survey of 1,399 Internet users by the Pew Internet & American Life Project indicated that 84 percent of online Americans have used search engines– that translates into more than 107 million people. In fact, on any given day online, more than half those using the Internet use search engines. How do you get those millions of search engine users to see your site? It all comes down to the basic concept of marketing to your target audience.

Be unique
The title and text on the page are the two most important elements to making a page relevant for a particular search. To make your site "relevant," you need to create a title and description of you and your business and include them in the page text using targeted keywords. Search engines generally list your website under your chosen title, so think about how you want homebuyers to see your page. It also pays to be specific.

For example, a Google™ search for "Orlando real estate" results in about 3,450,000 matching websites. But, "Specializing in pre-built and manufactured homes in Central Florida" certainly narrows down the choices for your targeted buyer using a search. The key is to differentiate yourself from the rest of the agents in Orlando-something you're likely used to doing anyway.

In addition to your home page's title, you also need to distinguish yourself in the content pages of your site. Search engines don't look at sites, they look at pages, and every page on the Internet is considered its own entity. Therefore, you want to incorporate the keywords in your title and description in your content pages as well. Agent XSites users are provided with pre-written content pages that can easily be customized in the content editor to reflect the unique services you offer. If you're specializing in manufactured home sales in Central Florida, indicate that in your content pages.

If you have an Agent XSite, the title can be accessed by going to Page 7 in the Wizard and clicking on the page you want to edit. At the bottom of the page are three fields: Title, Description and keywords. Make sure you write a description that will capture someone's attention when they see it as the description in the search engine results. Important tip: The keywords section should contain misspellings and synonyms.

Get your name out there
Your site won't do anything for you if no one knows about it. And just as it was in high school, popularity is everything. You need to get your web address on every piece of literature and marketing item that goes out – brochures, business cards, newspaper ads, and your voicemail.

More importantly, you need to get your web address listed on other websites that are related to you. Think of search engine placement as another form of networking. You want to get to know sites that will complement your site–local REALTOR®, mortgage broker or consumer advocate association sites, city chamber of commerce sites, local home builder websites and even mortgage broker websites. Even better, if you can write an article (even a "top 10" list) that gets published on a news-oriented site along with your web address, you're really going to be on your way up!

Many web experts will tell you that getting your website link on other reputable websites that share some of your keywords will make the most difference when it comes to getting your site to show up on a search engine. Because your site's name is mentioned, it's considered "popular" and will give search engine editors (Actually, they're automated robot "crawlers" that put your website text in their database) more of a reason to get your site listed on their results pages.